CFM International (CFM) and Sichuan Services Aero-engine Maintenance Company (SSAMC), a 60/40 joint venture between Air China and CFM, today announced that SSAMC will become a Premier MRO shop, providing maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services for CFM LEAP engines during a ceremony at MRO Greater China.
As a shareholder and major customer of SSAMC, Air China highly values this milestone. SSAMC’s admission into the CFM LEAP Premier MRO ecosystem elevates our long-standing partnership with CFM to a new level and strengthens support for our fleet—especially the growing C919 fleet,” said Jiliang Ni, Senior Vice President at Air China Limited. “With strong shareholder backing, SSAMC is positioning itself for even greater success ahead.”
The announcement makes SSAMC the first CFM LEAP Premier MRO shop in China, and the first for the LEAP-1C engines that power the COMAC C919. The facility will also be licensed for LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B engines that power Airbus A320neo family and Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, respectively. “Air China is the only airline in the world to have operated six generations of CFM engines and established an engine maintenance shop with us,” said Weiming Xiang, president of CFM Greater China and GE Aerospace Greater China. “This agreement builds on that rich history together.” SSAMC was established in Chengdu in 1999 and has serviced more than 2,800 CFM engines, including both CFM56 and LEAP engines for Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 family operators.
“We’re honored to become the first Premier MRO shop in the world for all CFM LEAP engine types, including LEAP-1C,” said Guillaume Mornand, general manager at SSAMC. “This builds on the experience we’ve gained with LEAP engines since its entry into service in China and with CFM56 engines over our 27 years of operation. We look forward to offering this expertise to LEAP operators across China and beyond in order to provide them with world-class MRO performance.”
CFM LEAP Premier MRO shops are part of an open MRO ecosystem in which CFM, Premier MRO providers, and third-party shops compete for MRO services. Premier MRO licensees retain the highest level of training and support from CFM. Because the open MRO ecosystem fosters competition, it allows operators to optimize costs to secure induction slots with turnaround times to meet their schedule and work scope needs, while also supporting higher engine residual value as seen with CFM56 engines today.
The 31st Maintenance and Spares Support Conference will be held in Haikou on November 25-26, focusing on industrial development and technical exchanges in civil aviation maintenance and spares support.